The Breadwinner: Stories and Hope Under the Taliban A film analysis of The Breadwinner (2017) Written by Elizabeth Coulter1,2,3 Department of English, 2Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures, University of Toronto 3 Third-year undergraduate of Victoria College, University of Toronto
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Director Nora Twomey’s The Breadwinner presents an Arabian Nights-style “stories-within-a-story” animated adaptation of Deborah Ellis’ children’s book. Having previously told stories of her native Irish culture, such as The Secret of Kells, she has now taken on this story that speaks to more recent events in Afghanistan. In The Breadwinner she continues to tackle the universal subjects of hope and stories: the comfort that art can bring us in dark times and the importance of stories in our lives. The Breadwinner is a Bildungsroman, but one that is challenging for all ages as it grapples with the grim reality of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The animated medium along with a clear storyline allows it to be bleak and emotionally tense without being too graphic, making it available to children. This ability to convey deep and dark real life concepts to children ties in very well with the film’s message of the power of storytelling in our lives as we grow up, especially for Parvana who is thrown into a situation in which she must grow up very quickly in order to become the titular breadwinner.
Parvana Listens to Stories The purpose behind stories can often be lost on us when we are children. It is only as we grow up, having to take on more responsibilities and realising that life is hard that we fully grasp their meanings. And yet as we grow up we risk “downgrading” stories to a childish realm, losing sight of their centrality to the human condition. In the beginning of the film, when Parvana’s father tells her that she should be telling stories because she is a child, Parvana asks “what’s the use [of stories]?” (The Breadwinner 7:07-7:08). Parvana’s father reminds Parvana of the importance of stories by teaching her the history of Afghanistan, as he says, “Maybe if we think of it like a story, huh? Stories remain in our hearts even when all else is gone” (The Breadwinner 2:08-2:12). He goes on to tell the story of Afghanistan as a ‘Wheel of Fortune’; a cycle of good times and bad times. Such a story provides context for how Afghanistan ended up where it is and offers hope for a better future despite the bleak point in the country’s history the two find themselves in. This not only encourages Parvana to understand that “everything changes…stories remind us of that” (The Breadwinner 4:37-4:41), but it also reminds us of the purpose of stories; how they teach us by structuring our understanding of the world. Everything does indeed change for Parvana when her father is abruptly arrested by the Taliban. Without Nurullah to take care of them, Parvana and her family find themselves in a desperate situation. As a result, Parvana is not afforded the luxury Screenwriters’ Perspectives Vol. 2 No. 1 2021
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